Fire-escape



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. E. RICE 8v J. E. BISCOE. PIRE ESCAPE.

Pawnted May 21, 1895.

INVEJVT'ORS Vas J0 @MCM WIT/VESSES l Z .Httorney- (No Model.) 2sheets-sheet 2. C. E. RICE 8v J. E. BISCOE.

.FIRE ESCAPE.

No.539,706. Patented May 21, 1895.

WITNESSES s INVENTORS Y f l 6AM. c5,

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

CHARLES E. RICE AND JOHN E. BISCOE, OF LITTLE ROCK,- ARKANSAS.

F| Rit-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATIN frhlig' part of Letters Y:Pfat'elllt No. 539,706, dated May21, 1895.

Application filed January 31, 1894. Renewed March 28, 1895. Serial No.543,593. (No model.)

Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fire- Escapes; and we do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of yreference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecication.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of the invention applied.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the hanger and trucks. Fig. 3 is a sectionon the line was, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail of a modification of truck.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements infire escapes, and

is designed to provide a simple, practical, con-A venient, and efficientmeans of escape from burning buildings; and the invention consists inthe novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates a trackwhichin practice is designed to be supported near the cornice of abuilding and parallel therewith by means of suitable brackets a. Saidtrack bar is designed to form a support for a car or hanger B, suspendedtherefrom by means of double trucks C, C,'having grooved wheels orpulleys b, which travel said track. These trucks comprise each aswiveled arm having at its upper end an arin c at right angles thereto,and carryingtwo of the grooved wheels or pulleys'b. Journaled on theframe bar of said car or hanger at about the central portion thereof isa toothed wheel D, which gears with a pinion D carried by a short shaftd, journaled in bearings on said bar. Rigidly secured to said toothedwheel D is a large grooved pulley E, around which passes a rope or cableF, which also passes up at each side and over a pulley G, journaled oneat each side of and above the wheel E. After passing over the saidpulley each branch of the rope or cable forms a loop H, the ends beingmade fast to the end portions of the frame.

I, I, designate baskets,`cages, or carriers, of suitable construction,and carried oneby each `loop H, which runs through a pulley J on thelever may be operated by means of a rope, v

chain or cable HX, attached thereto. The fan consists of a pair of fanVblades whose Shanks are connected by a series of links or leversarranged after the manner of lazy tongs of which the shaft cl forms' thecentral pivot. As the shaft rotates, the tendency of said blades toextend is in part counteracted by springs connecting said links andblades. It will be seen, therefore, that the faster' the shaft drotates, the more will the tension of the springs be Overcome, and thegreater will be the sweep of the blades, increasing their resistance,and causing a retarding influence upon said shaft.

The manner in which the baskets are suspended by the loopsH preventstheir turning or twisting in ascending or descending7 as is the casewhere they are attached to the free ends of the rope or cable, andrenders their movement much more sure and easy.

The trailing chains or cables afford means for operating the baskets,and for moving the hanger along the track to the desired point.

It will be observed that by swiveling the trucks in the manner shown anddescribed, the carriage may be readily run around an angle of the track.The trucks therefore should be placed as near each other as ispracticable, and the track set out from the building. To prevent thetendency of the trucks to leave the track in turning an angle, if theyare placed too near each other, said trucks may be provided with groovedwheels running on the under side of the track, as shown in Fig. 4. Forvery heavy carriages, the fram e bars may` be hinge-jointed, in anysuitable manner.

side of said central pulleys, the descent of said baskets or carriagesbeing regulated by the action of said fan, substantially as speci- 15lied. n

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES E. RICE. J. E. BISCOE. Witnesses:

H. D. PARKER, G. C. WATKINs.

